The autumn season brings about trees covered in yellow gold leaves, spooky Halloween tricks and also the special occasion of Thanksgiving. During this time, Americans and Canadians celebrate by having family dinners which usually end up being quite memorable. But memories fade and digital pictures don’t so if you want to record everything that has to do with Thanksgiving, whip out your digital camera and read this fabulous photo tips:

Take pictures of the food – Thanksgiving is well known for its dinners and people go out of their way to make sure the Thanksgiving meal is perfect in every aspect. There are staple dishes such as the roasted turkey, the pies and the mashed potatoes. Brush up on your food photography techniques and take photos of the meal that has been lovingly prepared. You can get close and shoot the textures and details of the golden turkey or step back and include the entire dinner table in your shot. These food shots can then be included in your stock portfolio if you are a member of a stock site.

Be creative with group shots – families often make it a point to gather together to celebrate during this occasion. This is the perfect opportunity to take some pictures of family members interacting and enjoying each other’s company. Take fun and creative shots aside from the traditional poses where people are staring straight at the camera.

Use a wide-angle lens if you have one – this type of lens can capture a wide area at a shorter focal distance compared to other lens types. This allows you to get everyone in the family included in the shot without you having to step back too far. You can also have more of the table laden with food. Wide-angle lenses are great for indoor shots where there isn’t much room to position yourself to take pictures.

Don’t take pictures of people eating – your family and guests most likely won’t want their pictures taken while they are chewing or swallowing their food. They might feel conscious and end up not enjoying the delicious meal and have you to blame for it. Instead, why not take photos of them before they are about to eat. It will be less intrusive plus the feast will still look great while untouched.

Take candid shots – the characters of people come out when they aren’t asked to pose and smile at the camera. Thanksgiving provides numerous instances for interactions and special moments with the family. Parents and grown-up children might see each other again after many months of being apart, young children will be exuding excitement and the designated cook will be busy in the kitchen preparing for the evening feast. Go around the house and catch moments between people or people doing an activity such as setting the table while swapping stories, these little things that are a part of what Thanksgiving is all about.

Include yourself in some of the shots – during gatherings, the designated photographer often ends up having no pictures of themselves. Don’t forget to also take pictures of yourself having fun with relatives and friends by using the camera timer and setting the camera on a tripod or a steady surface like a table. Thanksgiving is for the whole family and the pictures should show that you were also in the celebration.